By Stanley Onyekwere
In furtherance to effort towards ensuring the provision of quality basic infrastructure, the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Barrister Nyesom Wike yesterday inspected some ongoing road projects in Abuja, the nation’s capital city.
Wike, who expressed satisfaction with works done so far at the sites of the four ongoing projects, enjoined elites and residents of the FCT, to ensure prompt payment of their taxes and ground rents, to allow for adequate funding of projects and infrastructure development in the territory.
The sites visited include: the Vice President’s residence, under construction by Julius Berger Construction; the Asokoro and Area 1 roundabouts on the Outer Southern Expressway being constructed by CGC Construction; Wuye Bridge under construction by Arab Contractors Limited; and road D6 and B12, also handled by Julius Berger.
The Minister also reiterated optimism that the various projects would be completed by the end of May 2023, to mark the first year of President Bola Tinubu.
He said: “We are quite optimistic that with the speed of work, and taking advantage of the weather, we believe that by May, these projects will be ready. It is very key for us to understand that without payment of taxes, it will be very difficult for us to carry out most of these gigantic projects.
“If we don’t have the money, there is nothing we can do. Again, like we have always said to elites, they want roads, they want good environment, they want streetlights everywhere; government does not print money. Government needs to tax people and then use that money for the development of the area.
“So, I will always plead with everybody that they should try as much as they can, to pay their ground rents. We have published the last set of those who are still owing the one for 2023. We gave them till 14th of December last year, after which we were going to revoke.
“But we are human, we believe that the ethics will not be as good as people expect, well we have extended it to another two weeks, after which we will have no choice if you don’t pay, but to revoke the title documents.”
Furthermore, the Minister called for the support of residents of the FCT, noting that the paid taxes and ground rents were being “managed judiciously”, to ensure the delivery of the various projects.
According to him, despite the economic situation in the country, the FCT administration did not allow variation, by ensuring the prompt payment of project funds to the various contractors.
He said: “First of all, whether inflation or not, that’s why we are here, to solve problems. With the taxes people pay, we try as much as we can, to allocate it to the priority projects.
“Again, we don’t allow variation. Why? Because we also try to pay as at when due, so the issue of variation does not come in.”
